It’s easy to get overwhelmed. Many problems in life are overwhelming. Some of us have been avoiding our snail mail. Our mail box is stuffed full of bills like a collection agency piñata. Our credit cards are winning. Our bank accounts are losing. Savings is nothing more than a category on our bank statements. The […]

In an April Fools’ Day surprise, Arianna Huffington, president and editor in chief of Huffington Post Media Group, announced today that her company will start paying non-staff contributors and bloggers for their content. In recent months, Arianna Huffington has faced pressure from freelance journalists who are frustrated with the Huffington Post’s unwillingness to pay for […]

Although I’m not much of a wordsmith, I do enjoy the power of words. It is fascinating how the turn of a phrase or the substitution of just one word can make the difference between laughter and the absence of laughter. This is one of the main reasons I never use the word prostrate in […]

I clearly remember the first time I felt my cell phone vibrate. I was alone, driving a low budget rental car on a surprisingly empty southern California freeway. It was dark and I was somewhat lost. I preface my lostness with “somewhat” to placate my masculine sensitivities. However, totally lost may be a more objective […]

Spring seems to have sprung. The flowering plum trees have given up on dormancy to once again burst on the scene, drawing pink poetic contrast to tornadoesque skies. Even so, this year the plum blossoms appear particularly susceptible to the whims of prevailing winds. A rain and wind, one-two punch, could quickly change that canvas. […]

Transitions are important. The dictionary states, “a transition is a passage in a piece of writing that smoothly connects two topics or sections to each other.” Speaking of transitions, how about those Mariners. Anyway, a good writer will use good transitions. A great writer will use even gooder transitions. By the way, looks like we […]

The Dust of Eden It’s all a bit odd. Dirt covers the earth and pavement covers the dirt. People travel the pavement in cars. They sit in their cars, on their phones, talking to someone else, somewhere else. Eden is buried, it’s beneath us. Dirt covers the earth and buildings cover the dirt. In the […]

Reasons people don’t believe in God. . . God is immoral. Why would God allow for such pain and suffering? If God is good, why does he allow bad things to happen? I cannot follow a God who would allow bad things to happen. Shame on you God! Shame on your morality. God is indifferent. […]

I hate Monopoly! I grew up in a home that did not condone excessive use of the word “hate”. Whenever I whined the word “hate” to show my displeasure, my mother would remind me that “Hate is a very strong word that is best used to describe such things as the devil.” With this in […]

I found this excerpt in the Read the Spirit blog. I can’t wait to read Eugene H. Peterson’s new book on the vocation of pastor. I love what he says in this passage! EXCERPT OF “THE PASTOR: A MEMOIR” NEW FROM EUGENE H. PETERSON North American culture does not offer congenial conditions in which to […]